


Love From The Outside Looking In

by Reallife



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: 2+1 - Freeform, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Gift Fic, M/M, Ninja background pairings, be merciful on the newbie, emotionally constipated secretly fluffy characters, interfering family, old habits die hard, outsider pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-22
Updated: 2016-12-22
Packaged: 2018-09-11 05:36:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8956504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reallife/pseuds/Reallife
Summary: Two times Nori and Dwalin showed others they were in love on accident, and one time they did it on purpose.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Judayre](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Judayre/gifts).



**The First**  


Balin looked up from his desk when he heard the cabinets being opened, at first thinking his brother was just satisfying his sweet tooth as he had a tendency to do late at night. So he shrugged it off, thinking little of it and going back to reading the planned seating chart for the Prince’s wedding.

Except then he heard the tea kettle being filled and put on to boil, and now he looked up with a little more pointed curiosity. Dwalin didn’t favor tea unless he was sick, and even then he grumbled about it same as he did when he only came to Balin’s knees.

Quiet as can be the oldest Fundinson stood from his desk to peer through his ajar open door into the kitchen where his brother had begun to mutter to himself as he went through the pantry. It would have been more amusing had Balin not been more than a little concerned his growing frustration was going to end with him damaging the place somehow.

From the direction of Dwalin’s rooms--whose door stood half open still--Balin heard a window open. 

_Odd_.

More odd that Dwalin noticed it, having jumped from where he was crouched down looking at the bottom shelf where the beans were normally kept still, but did not react more. 

Finally, a moment later it clicked for him, because they did know someone who kept late hours, who enjoyed tea after a long day and preferred windows to doors, “Nori’s tea is on the top most shelf, in a blue jar.” It was an interesting thing without a doubt, he knew from Dori that Nori was often exhausted when he came home at night from doing...whatever Spymasters have to do, sometimes run ragged and a little unsure of who he was, Nori the King’s Man, an Honorable Dwarf who had done good works, or Nori the Thief, Nori Quickhands, Nori Silver-Tongue

For him to come straight here showed an amount of trust to his brother that he hadn’t realized was there, for any Dwarf, frankly for Nori more than the rest of them, showing your vulnerable and raw side to anyone but family was unheard of. 

Dwalin did turn then, looking as sheepish as a full grown battle hardened dwarf could, scratching the top of his bald and heavily tattooed scalp as if he had been caught stealing instead of in his own home.

“Thanks.”

Balin just nodded and headed towards his bedroom, taking this as a sign it was a time to turn in, “Good night brother, tell him I said hello.” As he walked he made a note to speak with Dori soon about theories and speculation coming into fruition.

**The Second**  


This was the fifth--count them-- _fifth_ time Dwalin had volunteered himself to accompany Ori into Dale to visit the Bowman family. The guard captain surely had better things to do than accompany him into town so early in the morning.

Ori, like Dori, was naturally an early rise and enjoyed a robust breakfast--something he and Bilbo had bonded over. He also enjoyed going into Dale periodically after the market had been rebuilt to shop for yarns, needles, paper, and other small trinkets that caught his eye or could be used as gifts later. Naturally he had maintained a friendship with Bard and his family, as did Bofur, Kili and Bilbo, and one or more of them often went into town to have breakfast and go shopping with their friends.

(If one of them in particular happened to accompany Ori more often than anyone else, and _happened_ to stay closer to his side, whose business was it but his and theirs?)

In the years since the battle nothing negative had ever happened on one of these excursions, but yet for the last five times as if by magic when he would quietly shut the door to the RI suite there would be Dwalin. Geared up and ready to go as if they were going on a march back to the Shire instead of going to visit their neighbors.

At first Ori had blushed, fidgeted, tried to demure away from having such an esteemed warrior and Important Person accompany him on such a silly and minor thing but Dwalin just stared him down and shrugged before heading towards the gates. It truly was a waste of Dwalin’s time, at this point Ori was well and sure he could protect himself, and even Dori didn’t fuss over him like he once did.

This time, the _fifth_ time Ori just sighed, Bofur was meeting him at the gates along with both Princes and Tauriel, something about an Archery contest they couldn’t miss.

“You know, if this is about protecting me I can do that myself I’ll have you know, and even if I couldn’t,” At that he puffed up in such a way that said he would be mightily offended if that were the case and prepared to contest it, “The others could, the worst we are going to be encountering is a bunch of drunk Men anyway.”

Dwalin kept walking, as if in hopes that Ori would drop it again but instead he stopped in front of Dwalin, a determined look in his eyes and iron in his stance.  
Nori would have been proud.

Dwalin seemed to squirm under his gaze, although someone who had not spent as much time with him may not have noticed it.

“Your brother worries for your safety and would trust it to few,” Ori opened his mouth to protest but Dwalin wasn’t done, “He has also been curious about the nature of your relationship with the Bardlings and wanted my eyes on it rather than anyone else’s.” With that he stepped around scribe and down the hall leaving Ori stunned and frozen before he turned to catch up.

For Nori to trust someone else to be his eyes, ears and even hands when it came to anything, _especially_ his family that was unheard of. Moreover, Nori respected the opinions of so few if he were being honest that this came as a shocking revelation, one that left Ori looking at Dwalin in a new light.

**The Third**

The citizens of Dale and those of Erebor had been making more frequent appearances at each other’s holidays and festivals, to the point where the sight of a Dwarf in the market for the Solstice or a human at the Durin’s Day Feast no longer even turned heads.

This particular festival was growing to be a favorite of the Dwarrow, it marked the beginning of the Spring and more importantly when planting could begin in earnest. It had become a bit of a fertility festival, there was a great deal of food, dancing music and even the odd performances by fire breathers and the like.

Even the Elves had started to attend yearly, and so it had grown even larger. It was also a favorite of couples, asking someone to dance with you for the first big dance of the day was considered akin to proclaiming in front of the whole world (or at least their section of the world, which is the only one that mattered to them.)

Dori was in a bit of a tizzy, if he were being quite honest. Tilda, who had only come of age the year prior was dancing with his youngest brother. She had asked him, causing more than her fair share of twittering among the towns folk and Dwarrow alike that would surely be feeding the gossips for months to come. Ori had accepted, which Nori and Dori had suspected for a fair bit of time by now, and clothed in the newest and finest garb Dori had created had kissed her hand with more courtly grace and gentlemanly poise than Thorin could ever manage before sweeping her into the crowds.

He was pleased, proud and happy for his brother, truly, but also a bit worried for his honor. Dori happened to be aware that Sigrid’s birthday was exactly nine months after her parents performed this same sort of dance twenty-two years ago.

So he could be excused if--- _Oh_ , his thoughts were derailed abruptly when Dwalin approached their table, also dressed in all his finery, _What’s this?_.

Dwalin was known for avoiding formal dress whenever he could, finding it poor if a fight broke out, too soft, too expensive if he were to spill something on it, and out of place on his rough person. 

Today, however, he was decked out in full royal garb befitting his position in the King’s Household and status as one of the famous Company of Thorin Oakenshield that took the mountain back. Beautiful dark blue velvets with gold runes embroidered in that bore a striking similarity to the tattoos Dwalin wore with such pride. A cloak flowed from his shoulders, dark red like the dawn with more fine gold designs along the hem, the colors accenting the rest of his clothing well.

On top of all that he wore much more elegant shoulder armour, too elaborate and beautiful to take into battle but a fine piece to show his taste and status, and new gleaming vambraces as well.

Dori found himself inordinately pleased though they were not kin and he had no hand in it, it was nice to see Dwalin taking pride in his bearing and appearance. It was a fine way to present himself, and apparently present himself to _Nori_ , rough but clean hand extended out to Dori’s brother.

“Nori, would you dance with me?” Though Dwalin was dressed with such formality and said the words with such earnestness they were simple ones, no reciting of lineages or titles, no grand offers. 

But Nori didn’t need any of those, nor did he likely want the pomp and circumstance of the stuffy traditions Dori and Balin loved. In fact, Dwalin getting dressed up probably wasn’t necessary at all, and Dori suspected he knew that, and that is was more to present to his intended all that he had earned and all that came with him as both a warning and a show of pride.

Or perhaps it was to show the chains he bore now, thinking Nori might shy away from such roots even now.

Maybe it was even to show both Ori and Dori that he took this seriously, that he believed their brother was worth their discomfort.

It was also possible it was to show Nori _look at what lengths I will go for you Nori Silver Tongue_.

Though it was more likely it was a combination of all of them, with a bonus of shocking Nori and catching him off guard, something that was notoriously difficult to do. It worked, Nori was for once silence, face open in surprise that was slowly turning to a sincere delight mixed with amusement as he took Dwalin’s hand and allowed him to lead him away from the table.

Before they lost sight of him though Dori held up his glass in a silent toast, and a quiet but clear blessing. It wasn’t the traditional way, but those two rarely were, and he found himself surprisingly content with that.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first forray into Tolkien, so forgive me if it's awful? I couldn't resist signing up though.


End file.
